Prince Rupert

Prince Rupert, often referred to as just Rupert, is a small port city on the North Coast of British Columbia, Canada.

Understand

The population of 12,000 people (2011) is about half First Nations (Indigenous) people. The Tsimshian Nation is the First Nations in the Prince Rupert area.

History

Prince Rupert was named for Prince Rupert of the Rhine, the first Governor of the Hudson's Bay Company, as the result of an open competition held by the Grand Trunk Railway, the prize for which was $250. Prior to the opening of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway (GTP), which developed a terminus at Prince Rupert, the business centre on the North Coast was Port Essington on the Skeena River. After the founding of Prince Rupert at the western terminus of the GTP, Port Essington was bypassed by many businesses and declined to being a fishing community.

Charles Melville Hays, president of the Grand Trunk Railway, had many grand ideas for Prince Rupert, including berthing facilities for large passenger ships and the development of a major tourism industry. These plans fell through when Hays died in the sinking of the RMS Titanic in April 1912. Mount Hays, the larger of two mountains on Kaien Island, is named in his honour, as is a local high school, Charles Hays Secondary School.

Local politicians used the promise of a highway connected to the mainland as an incentive, and the city grew over the next several decades. American troops completed the 100-mile (160-km) stretch of road between Prince Rupert and Terrace during World War II to facilitate the movement of thousands of Allied troops to the Aleutian Islands and the Pacific. Several forts were built to protect the city at Barrett Point and Fredrick Point.

After World War II, the fishing industry, particularly for salmon and halibut, and forestry became the city's major industries.

In the 1990s, both the fishing and forestry industries suffered a significant downturn in economic activity. The forest industry declined when a softwood lumber dispute arose between Canada and the USA. After the pulp mill closed down, many people were unemployed, and much modern machinery was left unused. After reaching a peak of about 18,000 in the early 1990s, Prince Rupert's population began to decline, as people left in search of work.

1996 to 2004 was difficult for Prince Rupert, with closure of the pulp mill, the burning down of a fish plant and a significant population decline. 2005 was a critical turning point: the announcement of the construction of a container port in April 2005, combined with new ownership of the pulp mill, the opening in 2004 of a new cruise ship dock, the resurgence of coal and grain shipping, and the prospects of increased heavy industry and tourism may foretell a bright future for the area.

Weather

Prince Rupert holds the title of rainiest city in Canada, with about of precipitation annually. That's even more than the notoriously rainy Vancouver, so bring good rain gear!

Get in

By plane

Main airport

Prince Rupert Airport (IATA: YPR – WMO: 71022), Digby Island (board shuttle at Highlander Plaza Hotel (815 - 1st Avenue West) and take bus and ferry), 54.285833°, -130.444722°, +1 250-624-6274, praa@ypr.ca. Su-F 8AM - 7:55PM, Sa 10:30AM - 3PM. Prince Rupert has domestic service by small turboprop airliner. Flights take two hours each way, but because of the additional time required to reach Digby Island (just west of Kaien Island and downtown Prince Rupert) by airport bus and ferry, it takes about four hours to travel between downtown Prince Rupert and Vancouver International Airport.

Airlines to main airport

Air Canada, +1-514-393-3333. Canada's largest airline with hubs in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, and Montreal. It operates across Canada and services international destinations. 2022-04-25

Seaplanes

Seal Cove Water Airport. Prince Rupert also has a small seaplane airport with a few local airlines.
- Ocean Pacific Air, +1-250-624-5879, oceanpacificair@gmail.com. Operates charter seaplane flights between Prince Rupert and Haida Gwaii. Also offers tours. 2022-08-28

By car

Highway 16 (Yellowhead Highway) travels west from Prince George. The drive takes roughly eight hours. Don't drive this road in winter months if you are not familiar with treacherous winter highway conditions.

By boat

Ferries

Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) (Alaska Ferry), 2000 Park Ave, Prince Rupert, 54.29581°, -130.35316°, +1 907-465-3941 (main number), +1 250-627-1744 (Prince Rupert Terminal). Connects Prince Rupert from Ketchikan, Wrangell, Petersburg, Kake, Sitka, Juneau, Haines, and Skagway in the southeast panhandle of Alaska. 2018-12-22 Crossing time between Ketchikan and Prince Rupert is 6.25 to 7.5 hours.
BC Ferries, 54.2977°, -130.3540°. Operates ferries connecting coastal communities. 2022-04-30 Routes serving Prince Rupert:
- From Graham Island (Skidegate) ferry terminal in Haida Gwaii. Single sailings 4-6 days/week in summer; fewer in other seasons. Voyage takes 7 to 8 hours. Departure times differ; some crossings occur overnight.
- From Port Hardy (Bear Cove) ferry terminal (in North Vancouver Island) via Bella Bella (McLoughlin Bay) ferry terminal and/or Klemtu ferry terminal. During the summer, sailings arrive every other day, and depart the following day. Fewer sailings in other seasons. Crossing time from Port Hardy to Prince Rupert is 16.25-22 hours, 10-12.5 hours from Bella Bella, and 7.75-9.5 hours from Klemtu.

Cruise Ships

Prince Rupert is a port-of-call for cruise ships plying the inland passage, serving over 50,000 visitors each season. The Northland Terminal is in Cow Bay, close (up a short hill) to the downtown core. Many shore excursions can be accessed at the Atlin terminal (just east of Northland), ranging from bus, boat and seaplane sight seeing tours to saltwater fishing, kayaking and native cultural experiences.

By bus

BC Bus North, +1-844-564-7494. Twice per week bus service between Prince George and Prince Rupert with stops in Vanderhoof, Fraser Lake, Burns Lake, Houston, Smithers, New Hazelton, Kitwanga, and Terrace, and Port Edward. Travel time to Prince Rupert from Prince George is 11.5 hours, from Smithers is 4.75 hours, from Terrace is 1.75 hours, and from Vanderhoof is 9.75 hours. Fare is $40 to $65, depending on distance 2021-04-25

By train

VIA Rail Canada, 2000 Park Ave (Stops at Prince Rupert station), 54.295945°, -130.351565°. Operates a route between Jasper and Prince Rupert with stops in McBride, Prince George, Vanderhoof, Burns Lake, Houston, Smithers, New Hazelton, Kitwanga, and Terrace. The train travels during the daytime, taking two days in each direction. There is an overnight stop in Prince George, where passengers will need to book sleeping accommodations. Travel time to Prince Rupert from Prince George is 12.5 hours, from Vanderhoof is 10.5 hours, from Burns Lake is 8.5 hours, from Smithers is 6.5 hours, and from Terrace is 2.25 hours. On days that trains service Prince Rupert, departures are at 8AM and arrivals 8:25PM. As of February 2018, the ticket counter is not staffed; buy your ticket aboard the train (credit card or cash only) or online. Jasper is also a stop for The Canadian, which travels between Vancouver and Toronto. 2022-04-02

Get around

Most of downtown Prince Rupert is accessible on foot. A good place to get oriented is the Visitor Information Centre, located on the east end of the Atlin Terminal.

A taxi ride anywhere in town will be no more than $10.

By public transit

BC Transit (Prince Rupert Transit System), +1-250-624-3343. Operates bus routes within Prince Rupert from Monday to Saturday, including to the ferry terminals and the train station. Also, operates a bus route between Prince Rupert and Port Edward from Monday to Saturday. Fare is $2 2022-04-09

By taxi

Papa Mobile Taxi, +1 250-622-7272. 2022-07-29
Skeena Taxi, +1 250-624-2185. 2022-07-29

See

Kwinitsa Station Railway Museum, 54.31376°, -130.33109°, +1 250-624-3207. Tells the story of early Prince Rupert and the role of the railway in its development. Built in 1911, Kwinitsa Station was one of 400 identical rail stations along the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway from Winnipeg to Prince Rupert. Today, it is one of only four surviving stations. 2023-03-31
Pacific Mariners Memorial Park, 54.31717°, -130.32246°. There are two focal points of the park: one being the bronze Mariner's statue and Memorial Walls, the other the Shinto Shrine which was built for the "Kazu Maru", a Japanese fishing dingy that drifted across the Pacific Ocean from Prince Rupert's sister-city Owase in Japan. 2023-03-31
Museum of Northern British Columbia, 100 - 1st Avenue West (on the waterfront at the foot of McBride Avenue), 54.316361°, -130.323539°, +1 250-624-3207, mnbc@citytel.net. Jun-Aug: M-Sa 9AM-8PM, Su 9AM-5PM; Sep-May: M-Sa 9AM-5PM. The museum tells the 10,000-year-old history of the Haida, Tsimishian, Tlingit, and Nisga. It also operates the Carving Shed and the Kwinitsa Station. Adult $6, teens 13-19 $3, children 6-12 $2, children under 5 $1 2023-03-31
North Pacific Cannery, 1889 Skeena Drive, Port Edward (from Prince Rupert, turn right after the bridge onto highway 599, which becomes Skeena Drive (about 20 km from downtown Prince Rupert total)), 54.195151°, -130.223774°, +1 250-628-3538 (May-Sep), +1 250-628-3667 (Oct-Apr), northpac@citytel.net. May Jun & Sep: Tu-Su 9:30AM-5PM; Jul & Aug: daily 9:30AM-5PM. Open until 8PM when a cruise ship is visiting. A national historic site, it is the oldest, most completely preserved cannery remaining of two hundred-or-so that once dotted BC's Northwest Coast. BC Transit runs the number 60 bus in the summer to the cannery from the Visitor Information Centre in Atlin Terminal in Cow Bay, which takes about 40 minutes. Adult $12, child 5-18 $6, child under 5 free, family (2 adults + children) $25, tour groups $10 2023-03-31
Totem Park, 54.305194°, -130.332935°. Home to many of Prince Rupert's totem poles. Free
Sunken Gardens, Behind the Courthouse on McBride Ave, 54.31684°, -130.32016°. 24 hr. Heritage gardens with a spectacular display of colourful, lush flowers, shrubs and trees. The gardens were begun in a hole left behind when the city's courthouse was relocated in the 1920s. 2020-08-04

Do

Prince Rupert is famous for its fishing expeditions. Mostly salmon and halibut, with potential catches over a hundred pounds.

Fishing Prince Rupert, 901 10th Ave East, 54.31786°, -130.30256°, +1 250-627-8443, frohlich@citytel.net. Offers deep sea and freshwater fishing expeditions. 2023-03-31
Kaiensports Fishing Charters, 2130 Graham Ave, 54.29938°, -130.35170°, +1 250-624-5151, info@kaiensports.com. Fishing charters around Prince Rupert and the Haida Gwaii, with departures from both locations. 2023-03-31
Northern Bounty Fishing Charters, 236 Cormorant Rd, 54.31062°, -130.30096°, +1 250-624-6827, info@orcafishing.com. Has two 23′ Grady Whites boats. 2023-03-31
Quantum Fishing Charters, +1 250-600-6963, info@quantumfishingcharters.com. Experience Prince Rupert fishing in the coastal waters off Northern BC. Charters and excursions including salmon fishing, halibut fishing, and crabbing which highlight the beautiful coastal region of Northwestern British Columbia. 2023-03-31
Stingray Charters, 1315 Overlook St, 54.32450°, -130.30230°, +1 250-624-3885, stingray@citytel.net. Sport fishing charters. 2023-03-31

Buy

Cow Bay Gift Gallery, 24 Cow Bay Rd, 54.31811°, -130.31855°, +1 250-627-1808. Options here are a little pricier, but has authentic Native art and some really beautiful items. 2023-03-31
Homework, 145 Cow Bay Rd, 54.31894°, -130.319501°, +1 250-624-3663, info@homeworkstore.ca. M-Sa 10AM-6PM, Su 11AM-5PM. Eclectic and interesting selection.

Eat

Opa Sushi, 34 Cow Bay Rd, 54.31823°, -130.31857°, +1 250-627-4560. M-F 11:30AM-2PM & 5-9PM, Sa noon-3PM & 5-9PM, Su 1-8PM. Not bad sushi. 2023-03-31
Pho '88 (Phở '88), 427 - 3rd Avenue West, 54.31235°, -130.325233°, +1 250-624-2888. M-Sa 10AM-9PM, Su 11AM-8PM. Vietnamese restaurant, featuring pho, and a good variety of Vietnamese and Canadian-Asian cuisine. $10-25
Waterfront Restaurant on the Harbour, 222 1st Avenue West (in the Crest Hotel), 54.31609°, -130.32500°, +1 250-624-6771. M-F 6:30AM-9PM, Sa Su 7AM-9PM. 2023-03-31

Drink

Breaker's Pub, 117 George Hill Way (in Cow Bay), 54.319°, -130.31864°, +1 250-624-5990, breakers@citytel.net. Decent enough place, slow meal service.
Charley's Lounge, 222 1st Ave West (in the Crest Hotel), 54.31616°, -130.32483°, +1 250-624-6771. M-Th 11:30AM-midnight, F Sa 11:30AM-1AM, Su noon-11PM. $3.25-7.75 draft, specialty bottled beer available, $6.95 martinis, ($6-$9 per glass wines available)
Cowpuccino's Coffee House, 25 Cow Bay Rd, 54.318581°, -130.318529°, +1 250-627-1395. M-F 7AM-9PM, Sa Su 7AM-6PM.
javadotcup, 516 3rd Avenue West, 54.312005°, -130.32627°, +1 250-622-2822, javadotcup@citytel.net. M-F 7:30AM-6PM, Sa 9AM-6PM, Su & holidays closed. Great little coffee shop and internet cafe. Beautiful building inside and out. Homemade desserts!

Sleep

Aleeda Motel, 900 3rd Ave West, 54.309451°, -130.330729°, +1 250-627-1367, aleeda@citytel.net.
Black Rooster Guesthouse, 501 6th Avenue West, 54.31036°, -130.32243°, info@blackrooster.ca. Somewhere between a hostel and a hotel, you can rent from a private queen room to a bunk in a shared room. A bit up the hill from downtown, though.
Highliner Plaza Hotel, 815 1st Avenue West, 54.311147°, -130.331261°, +1 250-624-9060.
Inn on the Harbour, 720 1st Avenue West, 54.3106°, -130.332421°, +1 250-624-9107, info@innontheharbour.com.
Moby Dick Inn, 935 2nd Avenue West, 54.309191°, -130.332653°, +1 250-624-6961, mobydick@citytel.net.
Pacific Inn, 909 3rd Avenue West, 54.309407°, -130.330206°, +1 250-627-1711, info@pacificinn.bc.ca.
Pioneer Hostel, 167 3rd Avenue East, 54.316187°, -130.31918°, +1 250-624-2334, pioneer@citytel.net. $22-80
Totem Lodge Motel, 1335 Park Ave, 54.305242°, -130.335406°, +1 250-624-6761, info@totemlodge.com.

Connect

Prince Rupert Public Library, 101 6th Ave West, 54.31291°, -130.31791°, +1 250-627-1345, info@princerupertlibrary.ca. M 1-5PM, Tu-Th 10AM-9PM, F 10AM-5PM, Sa Su 1-5PM (closed Sundays in the summer). The library has eight computers for public use, no membership needed and free wireless. Careful after school; they get quite busy right after the bell. $1 for each ½ hour after the first, subject to availability
Safeway/Starbucks, 200 2nd Ave West, 54.3151°, -130.32444°, +1 250-624-2412. Daily 7AM-10PM. There is a small seating area inside and out where you can sit on the wireless. Free

Go next

Visit the Haida Gwaii for a unique wilderness adventure you will never forget.

Prince Rupert - port city in the province of British Columbia, Canada